Process of making aluminum chloride



Patented June 17, 1936 A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY enunnnnnne', an, or LOS enemas, canmonnm PROCESS OF MAKING ALUMINUM CHLORIDE I uoiirawin Original application filed April 14, 1927, Serial No. 183,923. Divided and this applicationfiled February '12, 1930. Serial m. 427,968.

ammonium chloride or a chloride of the al-v kali metal or alkaline earth metal group is mixed with aluminum sul hate, a double decomposition takes place, torming' aluminum r chloride and a sulphate of the alkali forming group.

The present application is a division of my application for a process of making alumiinum chloride, Serial No. 183,923, filed April 14, 1927 and in which the claims are limited to the use of ammonium chloride of the alkali metal group. The claims of the present caseare limited to the alkaline earth metal group.

When the heavier alkaline metal chlorides are used a higher react-ion temperature'is re- "quired than when ammonium chloride or'a chloride of the alkaline earth metal group is used, and therefore I prefer to add, to the mixture a reducing agent which will'reduce aluminum sulphate tolaluminum sulphide as an intermediate step in the process, the aluminum sulphide reacting more vigorously with the alkaline earth' metal chloride to produce aluminum chloride. v .My invention consists of the, steps ofthe process hereinafter described and claimed; I take a-chloride of the'alkaline earth metal group such ascalcium chloride and mix the mixed,' in the proportions indicated by the 40 setolfiausor ,=A1,c1,+seasor same with aluminum sulphate; both salts be-- 'ing preferably finely ground and intimately molecular weights in the following equation hon in the form of charcoal or carbonaceous matter including the hydrocarbon oils and naphthalene, the reaction temperature is lowered, which is .due to the fact that the reducmg agent will reduce the aluminum sulphate to aluminum sulphide, which energetically combines with the chloride of the alkalineearth metal forming aluminum chloride.

Other chlorides of the alkaline earth metal may be used in place of calcium chloride and will form aluminum chloride and the corresponding alkaline earth metal sulphate.

Various changes may be made in the stepsa 1. A process. of makin' aluminum chloride comprising heating a mixture of a chloride of the alkaline earth metal group, aluminum sulphate and a carbonaceous material to a temperature suflicient to cause the aluminum-f sulphate to be reduced to aluminum sulphide,

which latter will react with said chloride to produce aluminum chloride, and distilling and recovering said aluminum chloride'.

H 2. A process of making aluminum chloride comprising heating a mixture of calcium chloride, aluminum sulphate-and a carbonaceous material to a temperature suflic'ient to cause the aluminum sulphate to be reduced to aluminum; sulphide, which latter will 're-.

act with the calcium chlorideto form aluminum chloride, and distilling and recovering said aluminum chloride. I

In' testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. HENRY BLUMENBERG, Jr.

D and heat the same in a retortto a temperature of from 600 to'700 degrees C.,.-when the re actionindicated in the equation will take Y place, forming aluminum chloridev which will distill-oversand which may ber ecovered in any preferred manner, and the calcium sulphate will remain in the retort.

I have found that by the addition of 5 to so 20 percent of a reducing agent; suchxascar- 

